I agree with Kamaladevi's analysis of the motives of the parties to
the war.
Both are fighting for their existence and for the furtherance of
their policies. There is, however, this great difference between the
two: however incomplete or equivocal the declarations of the Allies
are, the world has interpreted them to mean that they are fighting
for saving democracy. Herr Hitler is fighting for the extension of
the German boundaries, although he was told that he should allow his
claims to be submitted to an impartial tribunal for examination.
He contemptuously rejected the way of peace or persuasion and chose
that of the sword. Hence my sympathy for the cause of the Allies.
But my sympathies must not be interpreted to mean endorse­ment, in
any shape or form, of the doctrine of the sword for the defence even
of proved right. Proved right should be capable of being vindicated
by right means as against the rule, i.e. sanguinary, means. Man may
and should shed his own blood for establishing what he considers to
be his 'right'. He may not shed the blood of his opponent who
disputes his 'right'. India as represented by the Con­gress has been
fighting in order to prove her 'right', not by the sword but by the
non-violent method. And she has carved out for herself a unique
place and prestige in the world, although she is yet far — let us
hope, not very far — from the independence of her dream. Her novel
method has evidently struck the imagination of the world. It has the
right to expect India to play a decisive part in this war, which no
people of the world have wanted, by insisting that the peace this
time is not to be a mockery, designed to share among the victors the
spoils of war and to humiliate the vanquished. Jawaharlal Nehru, who
has a right to speak for the Congress, has said in stately language
that the peace must mean freedom for those who are held in bondage
by the imperialist powers of the world. I have every hope that the
Congress will also be able to show the world that the power that
armaments give to defend right is nothing compared to the power that
non­violence gives to do the same thing and that too with better
show of reason. Armaments can show no reason, they can make only a
pretence of it.
Sevagram, 9-10-'39